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The Lord Will Not Let Baruch Be Killed

45 (A) In the fourth year that Jehoiakim[a] was king of Judah, Baruch wrote down everything I had told him.[b] Then later, the Lord God of Israel told me to say to Baruch:

You are moaning and blaming me, the Lord, for your troubles and sorrow, and for being so tired that you can't even rest. But all over the earth I am tearing down what I built and pulling up what I planted. I am bringing disaster everywhere, so don't even think about making any big plans for yourself. However, I promise that wherever you go, I will at least protect you from death. I, the Lord, have spoken.

Footnotes

  1. 45.1 Jehoiakim: See the note at 1.3.
  2. 45.1 Baruch wrote down everything I had told him: See 36.1-32.

A Message to Baruch

45 It was the fourth year that Jehoiakim son of Josiah was king of Judah [C 605 bc]. Jeremiah the prophet told these things to Baruch son of Neriah [32:12–13; 36; 43:1–3], and Baruch wrote them on a scroll: “This is what the Lord, the God of Israel, says to you, Baruch: You have said, ‘·How terrible it is for [Woe is] me! The Lord has given me sorrow along with my pain. I am tired because of my ·suffering [groaning] and cannot rest.’”

The Lord said, “Say this to Baruch: ‘This is what the Lord says: I will soon ·tear [break] down what I have built, and I will ·pull [pluck] up what I have planted everywhere in all this land [C Judah]. Baruch, you are ·looking [seeking] for great things for yourself. Don’t ·look for [seek] them, because I will bring ·disaster [evil; trouble] on all ·the people [L flesh], says the Lord. You will have to go many places, but I will ·let you escape alive [L give you your life as plunder] wherever you go.’”

Assurance to Baruch

45 The (A)word that Jeremiah the prophet spoke to (B)Baruch the son of Neriah, when he had written these words in a book [a]at the instruction of Jeremiah, in the (C)fourth year of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah, saying, “Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, to you, O Baruch: ‘You said, “Woe is me now! For the Lord has added grief to my sorrow. I (D)fainted in my sighing, and I find no rest.” ’

“Thus you shall say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord: “Behold, (E)what I have built I will break down, and what I have planted I will pluck up, that is, this whole land. And do you seek great things for yourself? Do not seek them; for behold, (F)I will bring adversity on all flesh,” says the Lord. “But I will give your (G)life to you as a prize in all places, wherever you go.” ’ ”

Footnotes

  1. Jeremiah 45:1 Lit. from Jeremiah’s mouth